Rain
by Ganondora
Summary: Did the goddesses really make the best decision in flooding Hyrule when Daphnes begged for their intervention? How did the King of Evil escape the floods? This is a different telling of Wind Waker, starring my original character Ganondora, and how she and her king thrive in the new world, while missing the old.
1. Chapter 1

**Rain. Rain. Rain. For five days the skies had been dark, covered with gray clouds that mercilessly unleashed their wrath on Hyrule. Nothing about the water falling from the sky was abnormal, for just as any other land Hyrule experienced seasons of dry and wet. The consistency at which it fell left many concerned. The wide area the rain covered left many in suspicious fear.**

 **It was only when the mysterious rain reached the desert that Ganondorf knew there was more at work than some unusual pattern in the weather.**

 **At first the idea left him in hysterics. He burst out in cruel laughter, initially finding the idea, that the goddesses were trying to wash away their mistakes, highly amusing. Was this the best they could do? A great evil was resurrected so they chose to flood the world and start over? How ridiculous!**

 **Then, the wheels in his head turned. Ganondorf's power was definitely returning, but he realized more than half of it was sealed away when the Master Sword was replaced in its pedestal. Any of the sages could have sensed his return, as well as the royal family of Hyrule. Someone, somewhere, had to have prayed to the goddesses for help. Why would they need the goddesses intervention when they could have just summoned the hero?**

 **Unless, he returned during a time where no hero was awakened.**

 **Ganondorf grinned wickedly.**

 **It was the ideal time to strike. Hyrule was in chaos trying to hold back the flood waters and move their families to higher ground. Lake Hylia already flooded half the fields, the Zora's river and waterfalls raged, and the creeks and streams spilled over their banks.**

 **There was, of course, one other problem.**

 **His wife.**

 **He had been free of his prison for nearly a year, keeping completely hidden just outside the reaches of Hyrule. Recently he began slinking his way back in, regaining what little power he could manage, but Ganondora was nowhere to be found. He found it laughable to consider she had been executed. The idea was absurd. If she was not in hiding, then the royal family of Hyrule guaranteed she could not interfere by keeping her captive. The prison would need to be magical and impregnable to hold her forever. She was the highest skilled thief he knew, and none matched her talents.**

 **Ganondorf departed his temporary home, securing his sword in his sheath at his waist. Only recently had he conjured a few minions from the Sacred Realm, and they were busy at work, in the pouring rain, making shelter. They watched as their master vanished into thin air.**

 **As predicted, the guards, the knights, and the volunteers were all busy at work to quickly move the remaining citizens of Hyrule to where they could survive until the rain passed and the flood waters receded. Ganondorf did all he could to avoid gaining their attention. He was a large man, in a dark hooded robe, and most people seemed to take notice of him. However, it had been generations since his banishment, and none of those simple people recognized him at a glance.**

 **Calmly, he walked down the path that led to Hyrule Castle. The castle had been rebuilt on a grand scale, with higher walls and more spires. The doors were wide open, and servants scurried in and out, carrying food and belongings to prepare wagons for departure. Ganondorf hoped the royal family was still around to greet him.**

 **Although, before looking for** _ **them**_ **, he needed to find** _ **her**_ **.**

 **The castle, for the most part, was empty. He waited for the servant that passed him to return to the castle, and gripped his arm. "I need to move the prisoner. Point me in the direction of the dungeon."**

 **The servant pointed to a wooden door across the room of the main hall. He suspiciously asked, "Who are you?"**

 **Ganondorf grinned, and snatched the servant's head in his hand. "That's not important."**

 **"You're- !"**

 **He lifted the man by his head, twisted him so that his neck snapped, and then tossed his lifeless body out the main entrance.**

 **The door to the dungeon was nothing extraordinary. He twisted the knob on the creaky door, stepped through, and it slammed shut behind him. The stone steps were unkempt, and they crumbled more beneath his weight. The bottom of the stairs opened up into a wide dungeon, with barred windows, and cells all around the walls. It was disheartening to find the dungeon was void of any prisoners. He searched all to his left where the room turned and continue in a square. After the search yielded no results, he returned and explored the right side, and was rewarded. The back part of this half of the dungeon was sealed off with a stone wall, and an enchanted door. There was only one person who could be concealed behind such a magical barrier.**

 **To any average person, the door seemed plain, but to anyone sensitive to magic energy, the door was imbued with a light magic barrier. Just moving closer to the door made Ganondorf's head and muscles ache. He would be forced to use his dark energy to counteract the barrier, which would reveal him to his enemies.**

 **He placed his hand, palm out, as close to the door as he dared without touching it. An orb of dark energy grew rapidly between him and the door. When Ganondorf could detect his energy was greater than the light barrier, he released the orb, which exploded, and the door crumbled.**

 **The sweat on his face cooled and dried once the opposing energy was gone. He stepped inside the dark, windowless room, and squinted to find his wife.**


	2. Chapter 2

**"Ganondorf? Is that you?" asked a hopeful woman, in a voice only known to him in his dreams.**

 **He followed her voice and located her by the back wall. "Ah, Ganondora. Who else would be foolish enough to rescue you?" The chains that bound her shined with the same cursed magic as the door. She sat on the dirt floor, her head hung, and her arms limp at her sides, while the chains sapped her energy dry. She looked up at him, so grateful, but weak and powerless. Pathetic. "You look terrible."**

 **She glared suddenly, a beautiful expression for her. "Thanks for noticing," she remarked sarcastically.**

 **Ganondorf held his hand out to her. A warm sensation tingled straight through his nerves to his heart and mind when he felt the soft skin of her slender hand touch his finger tips. He gripped her hand and filled her with what dark energy he could spare, enough to cause the glowing chains to dull and the locks popped open. She squeezed his hand so he could assist her to her feet.**

 **She stood, then stretched and twisted to the left and right, and rolled her shoulders. "As glad as I am to see you well, I believe it's necessary to hold off on a proper reunion," she mused, grinning seductively.**

 **"Nothing would bring me greater pleasure, but haste is necessary. Whoever created this barrier will know it has been dispelled." He turned and led her out of the dungeon, but looked back to see how well she walked. Her steps were shaky and uncertain. "I will rejuvenate you, but my powers are limited for now."**

 **She obediently followed him through the dungeon, toward the stairs to the main floor, while she quickly explained some important details. "I heard the guards say that they moved Zelda's daughter to a secure location, away from you. The king has been removed, under protest, at Zelda's request."**

 **"Daughter?" He paused at the top of the stairs.**

 **"The fifth generation, actually, of the very Zelda you fought," she said sourly.**

 **He was shocked. Had that much time really passed? They would need to discuss it later. He opened the door, and found Zelda waited to greet them.**

 **The middle-aged princess glared defiantly at them.**

 **Ganondorf held his arm out stiffly to stop Dora from charging her. "I am going to kill you," she shouted, not even remembering she was in a weakened condition, and weaponless. He remained silent, because he sensed something was wrong.**

 **The princess boldly said, "You will not leave this castle. This world will be lost, but not forgotten, so that our children can live on in peace and happiness, without your corruption."**

 **He realized then what was so different about the woman in front of him, compared to the Zelda that challenged him in the past. He glanced at the back of his left hand and confirmed it was dull. "Where is the Triforce of Wisdom?"**

 **"Scattered, soon to be buried at the bottom of the ocean, along with our corpses," she responded proudly.**

 **He clenched his fist, but he honestly expected nothing less.**

 **"That's just great," Dora whined under her breath.**

 **"It will not be my corpse rotting on the ocean floor, princess, only yours," he shouted and raced toward her.**

 **"Wait for me," Dora yelled, joining the fight with just her fists.**

 **Zelda produced a thin great sword from the sheath she carried and prepared for their attack. She battled bravely against Ganondorf, but without the aid of the Triforce, or the sages, she was just another woman. While he swung at her sword and knocked her off balance, Dora gripped Zelda's arms and pinned them behind her back. In the next instant, Ganondorf pierced the princess with his sword.**

 **Dora's deteriorated muscles could not hold the weight of the corpse, so she dropped it on the floor with a thud. "Finally," she sighed, exasperated, and sat down. "She's dead, but now we have to go on a wild hunt for the Triforce of Wisdom all over again!"**

 **Ganondorf grunted and pointed out, "I could have left you in the dungeon to perish with the rest of Hyrule."**

 **She shook her head. "Fine, I'll stop complaining."**

 **"We also need to learn what happened to the Triforce of Courage," he reminded her.**

 **"Speaking of, where is he? What is going on? What is this talk about an ocean?"**

 **"It seems impossible, but the hero of legend failed to appear," he explained. Dora's face lit up with a smile. "We are still in danger. The sages have prayed to the goddesses for a miracle, and Hyrule will soon be nothing more than an ocean."**

 **"I see."**

 **"We do not have much time before the castle is lost and we drown with the rest of them." Dora rose to her feet, standing tall and proud. He held his hand out to her once more, and she faithfully accepted. In the blink of an eye they were gone from the castle, and stood on a path part way up Death Mountain. Still clutching her husband's hand, Dora looked to see the rapidly rising waters, and how her home was being erased and destroyed. She stared with her mouth gaping, her eyes wide with disbelief. At long last she looked up to him and said, "There must be something we can do."**

 **Dora seemed to hold on to his hand as if she would never let him go again, and partially out of desperation. Ganondorf shifted his hand so their fingers interlocked, hoping to bring her solace. He slowly shook his head and explained, "There is no possible way to intervene in this divine act until we have the Triforce. Only then can we return our home to us."**

 **"Let's go find it then!" she insisted, pulling at his hand.**

 **As always, she was acting irrationally, but it was her strong headedness that was so alluring to him. "Impossible. The Triforce of Courage will be sleeping until a new hero is born and can prove his strength in the eyes of the goddesses. Our lives could be lost if we act thoughtlessly and dare to venture before the rain ends. We can only prepare for the quest that awaits us once the goddesses have finished burying Hyrule."**

 **Dora tore her hand free from his.**

 **Ganondorf took that as a bad sign.**

 **"Do you have any idea what I have been put through as the most hated prisoner of Hyrule for the past seventy-five years?" Dora yelled, glaring again.**

 **He crossed his arms over his chest. Staying cool against her anger was one of his greatest skills. "Enlighten me," he challenged.**

 **"Not all of the guards who were in charge of me were bad, some of them were even nice to me. Others, the ones who lost loved ones because of us, who lost everything, took out their hate on** _ **me**_ **, because** _ **you**_ **were already gone."**

 **"The Sacred Realm was no vacation," he countered. "The strength of the sages kept me so powerless I was numb, and the very monsters I created tried to kill me while I was weakened."**

 **Dora scoffed. "In the beginning, they tried to execute me," she recalled, a triumphant grin lighting her face for a moment. "Oh, how they tried, but they underestimated me. I killed several guards, and escaped their clutches five times, before they realized it was better to just keep me locked up in those chains. They were too afraid I'd break free and bring you back. You saw what those chains did to me. It was worse than death."**

 **"Once I was able to gather my strength to fight back, the monsters acquiesced to my power, but then the corruption of the Sacred Realm itself infected me, trying to take over and tear me apart from the inside," he argued.**

 **Dora started yelling, losing her temper. "The only relief I was given from the chains was when I was tortured, in ways I hadn't even thought of. I'd go without food for days, without being let out to use the bathroom. I was whipped and beaten, publicly humiliated in unspeakable ways, until they realized I wouldn't cry for them. Instead, I cursed them, and shouted obscenities about the royal family. Soon enough, the torture stopped. I suffered the princess's mind games when they interrogated me, and they nearly brought me to the point of giving up. But that's not me.** _ **I don't accept failure**_ **."**

 **"There were times the powers of the Sacred Realm pushed me to the brink, where I would forget my purpose, the reason I was trapped there in the first place, and I nearly surrendered to the abyss," Ganondorf continued, calmly and confidently. In his experience, he learned rising to Dora's level only prolonged the shouting match, but she was quickly disarmed when he remained in control. At times, he would have to make a sacrifice, and admit how important she was to him. "There was only one thought that kept me sane while I endured the terrors, the trials, and my weakness of the Sacred Realm. That thought, was returning to you."**

 **Dora found tears forming in her eyes, and even choked on them. She was undoubtedly selfish, and, of course, never considered his suffering. She had only imagined the Sacred Realm to be a never ending vortex of nothing, not that he would have to constantly fight to stay alive. "They tried to convince me that you were gone forever, that I should just grieve and repent my evil ways. I laughed at them every time. Even if I believed them for a second, I would never let them have that satisfaction. In the end, I chose to keep fighting, even when I thought I would never see you again."**

 **"I knew that if I didn't return, your vengeance would be ruthless," he said with a smirk. "I feared you had already destroyed the world out of your anger, hate, and grief."**

 **Dora laughed, tears falling down her cheeks. "Had I not been trapped in that cursed dungeon, I'd have started with the Kokiri Forest." In silence, she stared at him, looking at all the details of him that were exactly as she remembered: his thick, fiery orange hair, his defined face and wicked grin, to his battle-hardened body, and worn hands. She admitted, "I missed you so much. I am so sorry I could not keep my promise of remaining at your side."**

 **Ganondorf took her slender body in his arms, but not because he reached for her, because she leapt into him as his arms opened to accept her. "Then may it never happen again," he said, forgiving her. It was there they shared a powerful kiss, and there they fell to passionately reunite as one.**


	3. Chapter 3

**It was only days later when they found themselves floating around Hyrule, adrift on a wooden boat with a roof, but no sail. The sky was cloudy, still raining, and no end seemed to be in sight. Dora leaned over the side of the boat, her finger tips grazing the water elegantly. He watched her with admiration, and like always, she began to talk.**

 **"So eventually the new world will be a lot of water and a few islands?"**

 **"I imagine. We'll build a fortress, and search for Zelda's daughter."**

 **"You'll summon some minions to help out with all this labor, right?"**

 **Ganondorf chuckled, and while he did it out of amusement, if was full of malevolence. "Of course."**

 **"What about the hero?"**

 **"If we find Zelda, or the Triforce of Wisdom, the hero will come to us. You know that," he answered impatiently.**

 **Dora nodded slowly, watching the water ripples disappear as they sped away from the boat. She sighed and closed her eyes, resting her head against her arm.**

 **"Tell me," he commanded.**

 **"What?"**

 **"You are keeping something from me."**

 **"Almost a century apart and you still know everything about me?" Dora asked, laughing.**

 **Ganondorf lifted an eyebrow at her. "The King of Evil does not marry because he foolishly listens to his heart, or because he laid eyes upon a beautiful woman. I know you, better than you know yourself, and yet you still leave me guessing at times."**

 **Dora smirked, then frowned again. "Promise you won't get mad?"**

 **He closed his eyes. On many occasions she began an explanation like this, and each one ended with him not talking to her for a week, just so that he could avoid killing her. In this case though, he was concerned. "Speak, woman."**

 **"I was pregnant."**

 **Ganondorf's eyes shot open. His breathing quickened. He let her speak.**

 **"I didn't find out until months after they locked me up. I was going through so many emotions, I never considered it until I started showing, started feeling her precious hiccups and kicks. I was certainly tired, but I thought it was from the torture. They let me carry her to full term," Dora explained, her voice growing tight. "But then when I gave birth to her in that wretched cell I never got to hold her, smell her, or even see her. They cut the cord and gave her to a family with no children in Hyrule market. I'm sure she is old, with grandchildren now, but I have harbored my hate at knowing our daughter was taken from us."**

 **He clenched his fists at her raw emotions. It was obviously the first she had divulged this secret to any soul, and he knew he was the most important.**

 **"I know you don't want to consider children or anything, that you aren't ready for fatherhood, at least not yet. I bonded with her while I was pregnant. I told her all about you, even about how much I missed you. I did all this, even though I knew deep in my heart I would not be keeping her, because I would love to be the mother of your child one day."**

 **She immediately crawled into his open arms, pouring her tears into his chest and wetting his shirt. When anger overcame her in a powerful wave, she beat her fist against his firm chest. The tears eased her pain, the sadness and anger faded, and she was able to breathe again.**

 **"This is why my revenge cannot come soon enough."**

 **Ganondorf placed a hand on the back of her head. He guarded against his emotions, but accepted hers with understanding. "You will have it," he promised.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Their boat had drifted aimlessly for a few days, until they landed on an island. On that island they found the resources needed to craft a sail, a bow and some arrows, and found fresh water. After that, they were only at the mercy of the wind, and the sparse wild life they could find for food.**

 **Ganondorf stopped on an island for a few days to add on to their little boat. He conjured a few minions and gave them orders. In less than a day they made lumber from the trees in the forest and built a ship with masts, multiple sails, a captain's quarters, and a cargo hold. Those minions became the crew to work the ship, and Dora's sparring partners. She spent as much time as possible training, strengthening her muscles, and honing her archery and sword skills again.**

 **They spent years exploring the ocean, gathering as much information about the new way of life the old citizens of Hyrule had adopted to survive. Cities were built, a new race was discovered, old races learned to deal with all the water and solitude. Despite how Dora kept her hopes up, not a single Gerudo was found. They were the only two that remained.**

 **In the city of Windfall Island, Ganondorf learned about a gang of pirates, whose home was a fortress to the northwest. Supposedly, these pirates were the most ruthless to sail the ocean. The king and queen needed a secure home, and they wanted to teach these pirates a thing or two about being evil. They grasped this opportunity.**

 **As Ganondorf was too recognizable, and too conspicuous, Dora did most of the chores on land, including buying supplies and all of his dirty work. He ordered the ship to be anchored a couple miles away from the island, while she prepared to gain the pirates' attention the best way she knew how. Her long skirt was slit up the sides to the top of her thighs, her boots were knee high, and her top covered just her breasts. When she emerged on the deck from the captain's chambers Ganondorf glanced twice at her, and then stared in amazement. Dora posed, her one leg out to show her thigh, with her hip popped out a little extra in the other direction. She rested one hand on her hip and curled her finger to guide his eyes upward. "My face is up here, handsome."**

 **Ganondorf looked up from her legs to her eyes, not missing an inch, and grinned evilly. "You could make any man fall to his knees," he complimented.**

 **Dora grinned deviously. "You're the only one worth falling on** _ **my**_ **knees for."**

 **"You are evil," he growled. "I'll be eagerly awaiting your return." He snapped his fingers, and she disappeared from the ship.**

 **The pirate's ship was docked at Windfall. They disembarked, and traveled into the town to have a drink, acquire supplies, and pick up their payment.**

 **Being an expert in stealth and thievery, it was a simple task for Dora to sneak around the building the pirates congregated in. She easily climbed the wall to the second floor, using just a few small cracks in the wood, and looked in through the window to see what was happening. It was clear who the captain was, a broad man with brown hair, based on how he carried himself confidently, and the exquisite coat he wore. They met with another man, the owner of a shop, and in exchange for a few rare black pigs, the pirates were given a large bag full of gold, and a crate of bombs.**

 **The meeting ended as the sun began to sink beyond the horizon. The pirates departed to head into the town for their food and drink, and a place to spend the night. Dora leapt from the roof and into the nearby tree. The captain appeared from the door, his crew behind him. When the door closed, she sauntered out from behind the tree, and when she stood in their way they were forced to stop. Dora stood in her practiced posed, flashing a playful grin. "I heard you boys like money," she teased.**

 **The captain raised an eyebrow, and his eyes wandered her exposed skin. She was exotic, with brown skin, red flowing hair, and fierce yellow eyes. Her face was narrow but smooth around her cheeks. His crew snickered. One of them made a move forward, but was stopped by the stiff hand of his captain. "Among other pleasures, I assure you."**

 **She chuckled. "How cute. I need the help of some big, strong men. I can pay you."**

 **The captain cleared his throat, trying to remain professional. "What's the job?"**

 **"An enchanted relic lies within the cave of the island consumed by fire, south of Dragon Roost," she explained. "The relic has no value in gold, but it serves a greater purpose. I would be eternally grateful if you could fetch this relic. I will reward you," she cooed.**

 **"How do we know this isn't some kind of trick? I've dealt with women like you before," the captain retorted.**

 **Dora fought a snarl at his disrespectful attitude. "I promise to make your trouble worth your while," she begged, winking.**

 **"Come on, captain. How difficult could it be? We throw a few bombs into the fire, get her relic, and take our reward!" The men all laughed cruelly.**

 **"You mean, I take my reward, and you get the leftovers," the captain hissed. He stared for an extra second at her fine, voluptuous features, which could fetch him a high price on any market once he was done with her. "Fine. I accept."**

 **"Meet me tomorrow, mid-day, at Fire Mountain. I'll be waiting for you." She turned, and walked away from them with an extra swing in her hips. As soon as she rounded the archway into the town, she disappeared. The captain and his crew searched for her that night, but never found her.**

 **The noon sun was high and hot in the sky the next day, but the breeze coming from the ocean helped keep the ship and its crew cool. Ganondorf's ship was anchored far enough away from the island that the flames did not affect them. He waited, with his arms crossed over his chest, for the pirates to take the bait. He did not doubt that their greed, and lust, would be enough to lure them in. Little did they know, the woman they sought was already claimed, and he enjoyed having her in ways other men only dreamed.**

 **In the distance, their ship appeared, black sails flying proudly. The captain was at the wheel, wearing a hat too large for his head, unless it was there to match his ego. He turned his ship and dropped anchor so that they were within cannon distance, but not close enough to talk.**

 **Dora appeared at his side and scowled. "Cowards."**

 **Ganondorf muttered, "How disappointing. We will just have to go and greet them."**

 **"Can I come with you?" Dora asked, looking up at him with mischievous eyes.**

 **"Oh, you want to play with them?"**

 **"Well, maybe Zelda is on board," she reasoned, shrugging.**

 **"The only chance she is on that ship is if she is a captive, or a slave."**

 **"I wasn't saying she would be a pirate, that's just ridiculous. I might be able to take out one or two of them, maybe kidnap one for fun?" Dora pleaded. "I deserve it after how they ogled me last night."**

 **Ganondorf took in a deep breath of the easterly blowing wind. He grinned, as it was this bloodlust he loved about her. "You have five minutes, and you must bring me the captain's symbol of leadership as proof you killed him."**

 **"I'll bring you his whole head!"**

 **He laughed, and with a snap of his fingers Dora vanished.**

 **She was not wearing the same revealing clothing as the night before. Instead, she wore her classic red Gerudo uniform, which she had tailored on multiple occasions. All eyes were on her suddenly as she appeared in the center of the ship by the mast, her sword in her hand. The captain descended from the wheel, brandishing his sword also. "What magic is this?"**

 **"You haven't seen anything yet," Dora said wickedly, and then lunged for an attack.**

 **Ganondorf watched the flash of red glide across the ship's deck, from bow to stern. The captain was the first to fall, despite the interference of his crew members. Then, Dora turned her attention to them, even as they fled in fear. The King of Evil laughed as one of them leapt off the side of the boat, into the water. It made little difference if Dora managed to kill all of them before her time was up, because they would die anyway. He snapped his fingers again and she reappeared at his side, the head of the captain in one hand, his coat in the other. "I almost had them all," she whined.**

 **He chuckled and said, "Just watch." He raised his hand to the sky, palm up, and a dark orb shot from it into the water. Seconds later, gray tentacles splashed about in the water, one of them holding the man who had escaped the ship. This beast wrapped its limbs around the ship, pulled itself out of the water, and landed on top of the vessel to drag it to the bottom of the ocean.**

 **Dora jumped, whooped, and hollered in excitement. "That was incredible!" She was impressed, but when she calmed down she grabbed his arm and grimly said, "You know we will just have to clean that up when we take over Hyrule again."**

 **"Let the minions use it to build their weapons," he replied wisely.**

 **"Is your power really returning? I haven't see you do something that magical in a long time."**

 **Ganondorf shook his head, though he said nothing because he could not admit how weak he felt.**

 **"Don't worry," she said to reassure him. "I will not rest until your power has returned." To change the subject, she asked, "Now what?" It was true that she already knew, but she loved to hear him talk about his plans.**

 **"We take the captain's remains as proof of his death, terrorize anyone who is living at the fortress, kill them, and take it as our own."**

 **"I love it when you talk dirty," she said with a grin.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Ganondorf sat at a desk, his eyes glued to and memorizing a map lying before him. Some of his more useful minions had been brave enough to tour the sea and chart a map of the islands, and any other information they could gather. While it was wise to have, and took much time to accomplish, none of it had propelled his true mission.**

 **He stood up from the desk and wandered toward a window of the ship that was his temporary place of living, which he shared with Dora. The ship was perched atop the fortress they conquered, while dispatching the rest of the pirates who thought they were the terrors of the sea. He had shown them true suffering before they met their end.**

 **The next obstacle was the once guardian of the fortress. The fight with Helmaroc King had been taxing. In his true state of power, the oversized bird would have proven an easy match. Without being able to draw on all of his magic, he had relied heavily on tact, and Dora's agility, to help bring the beast down and force him to submit. In the end, he placed an enchanted mask on the bird that made him a mindless servant.**

 **Helmaroc King's only orders were to locate, capture, and return young girls with pointy ears, preferably girls of nobility or power. To that day, each one had not been the girl he was looking for, and the arduous search continued.**

 **Dora constantly tried to reassure him that it was just a matter of time, but his patience was wearing out. The reason was not just the inability to locate the Triforce of Wisdom, and then wait again for the hero, but because he was powerless compared to before. Day after day, hour after hour, he would focus and try to unlock his remaining power, but it always remained just beyond the reach of his fingers. No matter how he tried, none of his power would return until the Master Sword was pulled from its pedestal again.**

 **A bang startled him, and he turned to find Dora had thrown open the door.**

 **"Ganondorf," she yelled. "He's back. Helmaroc King is back!"**

 **He rolled his eyes at her childish excitement. Immediately after, he smirked. She was truly the only entertaining part of his life anymore. He held out his arm and she accepted, following him down to the holding cell for the other girls that did not possess the Triforce of Wisdom.**

 **Dora prepared herself, just like the last four times, for this to be the girl they searched diligently for. The bird had scoured the skies, chasing young girls, but Dora had also searched the wide ocean, hoping for some information. Hyrule seemed even more vast now that everyone was dispersed on islands, that searching too far was not advisable. In other words, Ganondorf refused to let her wander aimlessly until she found Zelda's daughter.**

 **He eagerly watched the back of his hand, and the girl's hand, as the bird alighted on the floor in front of them. It awaited the next order.**

 **Nothing happened.**

 **"She bears no resemblance to the princess of Hyrule. Make her comfortable," Dora sneered, then turned her back to everyone. She sighed, disappointed.**

 **"You just wait until my brother comes to save me! He's of age now, old enough to wear those green clothes! He'll save me," the girl shouted the whole way the moblin carried her to the wooden cell.**

 **Dora spun around, her curiosity spiked by these words.**

 **Ganondorf paused and calmly turned around. "Your brother?" he asked.**

 **"Yeah! His name is Link and he will kick your butt!"**

 **He and Dora locked eyes, without trying to let the girl know the importance of this information.**

 **"You'll see," she said, and stuck out her tongue.**

 **"Pfft. Let him come then. We'll see how tough he is." Dora laughed, walking out the door, and shrugged her shoulders. She hid her excitement at this great fortune. At long last, their patience was paying off.**

 **Ganondorf was surprised by the swiftness in which Link followed Helmaroc King to what was notoriously named the Forsaken Fortress. There was no doubt the boy was either courageous or foolish, and the two were interchangeable.**

 **Dora stood on the balcony and watched Link scale the fortress, judging his skill. Ganondorf overheard her shout insults at him, even though they were too high up to be heard. "Pathetic," she said. "He's an amateur. This can't be him. I could kill you with my arms tied behind my back!"**

 **Suddenly, she rushed into the ship and grabbed Ganondorf's wrist. She dragged him out the front door to await Helmaroc King. The bird flapped its wings, rising slowly in the sky, until he hovered just in front of the railing. There was a blonde boy, dressed in green, hanging from his mouth. The boys blue eyes were wide with fear, seeing the large man who suddenly commanded his fate. Ganondorf jerked his head, and the bird tossed the boy far to the left.**

 **Dora stared at him in disbelief. "You know who that was, right?"**

 **He glared at her, offended that she dare question his intellect, and then entered the room again. "Of course I do."**

 **"Why didn't you kill him?" she asked, closing the door behind them.**

 **"Because my goal is the Triforce, not just the pointless slaughtering of my enemies, unlike you," he pointed out, grinning.**

 **"Oh. I guess he didn't have the Triforce of Courage yet," she said. "Or the Master Sword."**

 **"Precisely. We will let him wander around until he proves his worth. He has not fully awakened into the hero I once knew."**

 **"Perhaps he will bring with him the Triforce of Wisdom too!"**

 **"That would expedite the mission, but I need my powers back first, and the only one who can do that is him," he explained in a growl. "I need him to remove the Master Sword and release my power to the world again. All of my slumbering minions will awaken below. I can bring them to the surface, and take the Triforce from these children."**


	6. Chapter 6

**Dora made the most out of the half ship they called home. The ocean helped bring a strong breeze through the windows of the old captain's chambers. There was enough living space for the two of them, plus Dora liked to wander the fortress to try to uncover some hidden rooms. She hoped to discover a torture chamber, but was unlucky so far.**

 **Compared to the dungeon, it was like living in a luxurious mansion. It was not long before she desired to return home, and reclaim the castle they lived in when they ruled Hyrule.**

 **Every morning was spent in training and exercise, for about an hour, and then overseeing the training of all the minions. Their ranks had steadily increased, but after they were trained at the fortress they were sent into the world to wreak havoc. The farther the minions were dispersed, the greater Ganondorf's evil magic could reach.**

 **Dora had just finished eating lunch, and while she gave her food time to digest, she sat on the sill of one of the square windows of the ship and played with Helmaroc King. His favorite game was to find a fish or a stick, bring it back, and have Dora throw it again. He acted more like a dog than a bird sometimes.**

 **"I'm bored," she stated, trying to avoid a whine.**

 **Ganondorf closed his eyes. It was the hundredth time he had heard those words in the matter of a week.**

 **"Don't you miss it?" she asked, not really paying attention. She stared out at the wide, never-ending ocean, day dreaming. "All the hassle and fun of ruling a kingdom? All the freedom? The fields to race horses in, forests with trees to climb, mountains to explore."**

 **He stood up and turned to face her with a somber expression. As annoying as her constant bantering was, seeing the way she sat there, bored and alone, he felt her same longing. The Gerudo were never meant for isolation, sitting idly, waiting for something to happen. They had been a busy people, always training, planning, thieving to survive, caring for the horses, completing their own chores at home just to barely scrape by at the end of the day. Even as strong as they were, death always lurked.**

 **"Do you remember the desert? I always think about it when the wind is strongest," she said, her mind miles away. "The wind here is calm, relaxing, welcoming, and not at all like at home. In the morning, when the sun rose, the wind burned and punished our home, but what were we being punished for? Then at night, when the moon climbed into the sky, the wind was frigid and pierced our fortress. The wind always carried death. Yet, somehow, when that same wind reached Hyrule, it always seemed to be filled with hope. That's why we believed in you Ganondorf, why I believed in you. You were the king we needed to bring the Gerudo out of that godforsaken desert that stole our loved ones, to where we could shine like we were always meant to."**

 **Dwelling on it brought a great weight to Ganondorf's shoulders, which he willed away with a deep sigh. As he thought it, Dora reminisced out loud about all the work she always had to do before she was queen. After the Gerudo conquered Hyrule for themselves, she lived her life leisurely, doing what she wanted when she wanted.**

 **"We had it all, and our dreams of leading the Gerudo to a prosperous future came true," she recalled. Her voice turned angry when she added, "And then it was all ripped away from us."**

 **This was the first time since reuniting that she mentioned Ganondorf's fight with Link, and his defeat. She blamed only herself, and he would never admit he might have been a little overconfident. Their way of life had been abruptly ended all in the matter of a few hours that night. Ganondorf thought she fought valiantly, that there was nothing more she could have done, and what happened was out of her control. It was the fact of the failure that really tore her up, she admitted, and that she constantly wondered what she could have done differently to win. He could only imagine that her pride had been obliterated into the smallest pieces by that loss. They were brutally torn away from each other, and lived worlds apart for a long time.**

 **As enjoyable as it was to be back with her, as glad as he was to know she was the same woman who enchanted him all those years ago, she needed time to be free. She was his own adventurer. Her loyalty was without question. When Dora roamed, it was to further their goal, or spill the blood of their enemies.**

 **Ganondorf made sure she was equipped with her sword, and found her bow and quiver rested nearby. With the map in hand, he approached her and ordered, "You have until nightfall to gather as much information as you can on this island." He pointed to Forest Haven on the map and explained, "It is said a large tree resides there in a peaceful grove. No minion has penetrated it yet because the entrance requires a certain agility, which they lack. Confirm the identity of this tree, and if my suspicions are correct, you should be able to check the status of our lazy little hero."**

 **Dora leapt from the windowsill, beaming an eager smile. She tossed her bow and quiver onto her back, and flung her arms around him. She kissed him, but just as their lips met, he teleported her away.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Splash.**

 **He miscalculated her destination, and Dora landed in the ocean. She dared think it was less of a mistake than it was an inability to teleport her such a far distance. Shore was within swimming range, but her arms, legs, back, and stomach were on fire when she finally pulled herself to dry land. Her chest rose and fell, while she laid on her back and focused on taking deep breaths. The warm sun quickly dried the water dripping from her skin, but her clothes, and especially her long red hair, were still soaked. Her muscles were stiff, and she cried out when she rolled to her side to stand up. She made her way up a few dirt landings, and stood on the edge of a pool of water, with a tall waterfall on the other side. "No wonder they couldn't make it inside," she said aloud to herself. Without any rope, her only option was to climb the rock pillar that split the waterfall in two.**

 **Dora walked straight through the water that came up to her knees. It was one of the most difficult climbs of her life, but with the use of a couple arrows and her sword, she was able to make enough footholds that she reached the top of the short waterfall. The next obstacle was leaping the wide distances between the rocks that protruded from the fast moving water. One wrong step and she could have slipped and slid all the way back to the ocean. Fortunately, the monsters that were lurking there as a result of Ganondorf's magic recognized the dark power in her and ignored her.**

 **Near the top, she was forced to travel the ledges on the outside of the island because one gap between rocks was much too far, even for her. She climbed the cliff that led to a pool of calm water just outside her destination. Despite having been soaked by the ocean water half an hour ago, she sat in the cool, refreshing pond, until the sweat on her skin dried and she was cool again. She was invigorated, and felt alive for the first time in a long while, but she was also quickly wearing out.**

 **The opening looked as if it would lead into a cave, but instead she entered a secret grove or meadow. Little bugs filled with light fluttered about, and all seemed at peace. The best part was the mixture of fresh aromas that filled the air from the trees and grass. She walked slowly through the steady moving water, staring at the greatness of the tree in the center of the grove. His highest limbs reached hundreds of feet into the sky, big enough to be hollowed out and made into a castle. There was little doubt this was the Great Deku Tree's offspring.**

 **The problem was, little red and green jelly creatures covered him like a massive infestation of warts. He groaned and moaned, absolutely miserable. Dora froze, and realized, if this was who Ganondorf suspected it was, she could not be seen. There were many trees, and the owner of them all seemed to be in too much distress to notice her, so she climbed into the limbs of one, lying down like a sleek cat on the prowl, and waited.**

 **Before the hour was up, she heard the splashing of water, and turned her eyes to the entrance of the grove. There was that stupid little boy in his green outfit. Dora watched him defeat the creatures that plagued the tree. It was what happened after that confirmed her suspicions.**

 **The tree spoke in the old Hylian language. She could understand it, but no one spoke that way anymore. He addressed the boy as the old Hero of Time, until he realized his mistake.**

 **Dora learned that Link was there in search of a pearl, something called Farore's Pearl. So, Link's journey had something to do with the three goddesses. Presumably then, there were three pearls. How many did he have? What would they do?**

 **What was this? The Deku Tree needed Link to go and find one of his lost little tree people? Link accepted? Dora acted surprised and silently mocked the self-sacrificing hero. Once he was out of sight, she rolled out of her tree and landed on her hands and knees as quietly as she could. She watched as Link made his way up and around the Deku Tree using little plants to propel himself forward.**

 _ **Now that, looks cool.**_

 **Dora waited for Link to disappear to nobly face off against some monster, most likely spawned from Ganondorf's magic that had slowly infected each island. Once the hero was out of sight, she stepped into one of the little pods.**

 **The sensation was incredible. The plant seemed to want to swallow her whole as it built up pressure around her. The fit was a little tight, but she was flexible enough to bring her knees up to her chest and tuck her head, like a ball. Finally, the pod released her with a powerful explosion, and she was launched into the air.**

 **The sensation of free falling, even for that short distance, was exhilarating. She bent her knees and landed softly in the grass, touching down on her hand for support. Dora went back into the pod, let it toss her into the air where she aimed herself for the next one, which swallowed her up and spit her out even higher. She felt like a frog, hopping and jumping from one lily pad to the next. Finally, she came to rest on the limb of the Deku Tree.**

 **"Who's there?" he yelled.**

 **The little tree people came running at his outburst. Dora panicked. She leapt from the limb she stood on, gripped a hanging vine, and slammed right into the Deku Tree. The tree's bark was rough, but it sloped to the ground, so with some excellent skill she was able to jump down the side of the tree. She landed every few feet and gripped the bark to make sure she would not go plummeting toward the ground. The little tree people were flying toward her using magical spinning leaves, but she rushed at a great speed out of the grove, and stood in the pool of water at the top of the waterfall. After pausing to catch her breath, she started back toward the shore where she originally climbed onto dry land.**

 **"You know that old whale won't be easily convinced," exclaimed a voice.**

 **"I have to try. I know this boy is the hero, I can sense it. We just have to be willing to give him a chance," said another man's voice. This voice startled her, and she dropped to the ground on a little mass of land just at the top of the waterfall. Link's red boat, and a fish, were talking to each other when she looked out. "If I can convince Lord Jabun to give us Nayru's Pearl, then we can raise the Tower of the Gods and they can judge him."**

 **Dora started to wonder if there was some sort of strange medicine in those pods that made her hallucinate. Then she heard the voices again, and they matched the mouths of the fish and the boat. It was the boat's voice that sounded familiar, which she thought so fiercely to place the voice that her brain ached. She stopped to listen again, and then tried to remember a name that went with that voice. It was the boat's features that finally put a face in her head, then a name to the face. Dora gripped the dirt in her hands, her face contorted in anger. She gritted her teeth. It was that damned King of Hyrule. Nearly all rational thought escaped her, and she reached for her sword. Her fingers clenched around the hilt, then opened, and clenched again. It was his fault, all his fault, and Dora wanted nothing more than to make him pay.**

 **It was not the time yet, she heard in her head, in her husband's voice. She released the grip on her sword, and rested her forehead on the wet ground. The sun was setting, and Link had not returned from his adventure. Dora waited to be summoned home, so she could relay the information she learned.**


	8. Chapter 8

**The captain's chamber that set atop the fortress glowed with the light of multiple lanterns strategically placed around the room. Shadows danced across the floors, and against the walls, as the flames submitted to the breeze. Dora appeared, standing in the middle of the room, and gazed around. The silence gave the room a sense of serenity, but the dim light added a hint of intimacy.**

 **Ganondorf sat in his tall chair at the table turned into a desk, his shirt missing. Dora could not fight her eyes from wandering his exposed chest, shoulders, and arms when he turned to face her. He smirked, watching her stare at him intently. For once, she had nothing to say.**

 **"Tell me what you learned," he ordered in his deep, alluring voice.**

 **She blinked several times, remembering reality. "Oh. The Deku Tree resides on that island. Link is searching for pearls connected to the goddesses. The tree had Farore's pearl, and has promised it to Link as soon as he brings home one of his tree people safely. What's more interesting, is the hero's boat."**

 **Ganondorf leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "His boat?"**

 **"I don't know how it could be possible, but I think the spirit of the King of Hyrule possessed a boat to help guide Link. I overheard him talking to a fish of the ocean about another pearl, and some whale named Lord Jabun. I then recognized the voice of this boat belonged to Daphnes."**

 **His eyes filled with amusement and he laughed out loud.**

 **Dora smiled, enjoying his laughter. "Shouldn't he be dead?"**

 **"To think that bastard somehow managed to maintain himself as a soul. Or perhaps, the goddesses condemned him to wait for the hero to return, and then act as his guide, and he has chosen this form," Ganondorf thought aloud.**

 **"It makes sense," she agreed. "He did mention that these pearls will reveal some tower where the goddesses will judge Link."**

 **"Daphnes must know of something that we do not..."**

 **Dora loved to listen to his intelligence and wisdom, especially when he was shirtless. As far as she was concerned, he already was the perfect balance of power, wisdom, and courage. He stood up and rambled on about how only once the hero proved his worth could he be guided to the Master Sword to wield it. It occurred to him that the only way to pull the blade of evil's bane from its pedestal, was to somehow return to Hyrule. He reasoned then that the pearls must also open a portal to return to the world below, and that there was a chance the castle was not destroyed at all. Dora just watched him, listening and absorbing his words, while she admired him.**

 **When at last Ganondorf was done speaking, he came to stand silently beside her, and she looked up at him. She rested her head against his chest, and he wrapped an arm around her.**

 **"Our wait is nearly over. Once my full strength is returned, we can go back to Hyrule, and bring Hyrule back to our people."**

 **Dora gazed into his yellow eyes, and was suddenly lost in them, because they stared back at her with hunger. She had seen that hunger before, and it sent waves of anticipation through her body.**

 **"For now, I plan to indulge in physical pleasures with my wife, to fulfill my lust and desire for a time," he said in a sultry tone.**

 **Her knees grew weak, and her face warm. A bright flash of lightning and a strong roar of thunder sent shivers down her back. She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck until her fingers slipped into his hair. He lifted her from the floor with ease and carried her directly to the bed, where he kissed her with fiery passion.**

 **They dove into each other first as wild animals starving for one another, and then they were as lovers, tenderly caressing and exploring the other's body, sharing pleasure instead of greedily taking it.**

 **Dora had no way of knowing how long that night went on for. Even when it felt like the sun should have been rising, it continued to rain, and the sky was still black with menacing storm clouds. At times they fell asleep in each other's arms, just to wake up and relight the flames for another round. Occasionally, they would leave the bedroom to find food.**

 **Ganondorf slept for a few hours, holding the flesh of his wife in his large hands, cherishing that everything from her smell, to her temper, to her lips, to her inability to close them, belonged to him and him alone. It had been quite some time since he last cursed the night, causing it to seem as though it would never end. It was one of his favorite tricks, and Dora loved it too. If the sun did not rise, she never had to go face the responsibilities of being queen, or training minions, and could stay in his bed until his hunger for her flesh, her moans, and screams, were sated. There were few pleasures greater than being the one whom she freed her wild animal upon.**

 **At last though, the storm passed and the sun did rise. Dora rolled out of bed to stretch, and then gave him a smirk from the side. "It took me a bit, but you did it again, didn't you?"**

 **Ganondorf chose not to answer her, but he could not suppress a chuckle.**


	9. Chapter 9

**"Does this kid ever sleep?" Dora shouted, barging in the door. She paced, seeming somewhat afraid. "It's only been a few days, and he's already at our doorstep with the Master Sword!"**

 **"There is no need to fret," he began to explain, but she interjected.**

 **"You do remember what the Master Sword feels like, right? The burning, the agony, the drain."**

 **He quickly continued when she took a breath. "I am nearly restored to full power. We'll see how Helmaroc King stands up against him," Ganondorf advised. "Once he is beaten, we'll wrest the Triforce of Courage from him."**

 **"And then we'll just have to locate the Triforce of Wisdom!"**

 **"Precisely."**

 **However, Dora sat on the edge of the windowsill, watching her pet battle against this boy. They had flooded the dungeon, forcing the hero to the top. The round door closed, trapping Link on the roof with Helmaroc King's nest. Dora cheered him on, watching him majestically fly through the sky and then come diving to destroy the hero. It seemed impossible that this boy could have any power over such a strong bird, but in the end...**

 **"No," Dora shouted hysterically out the window, ready to leap at Link. Helmaroc King's mask was broken. In just a few more swings of the Master Sword, the bird writhed in excruciating pain, and tumbled from the top of the tower. He hit the water and his corpse sank to rest in an underwater grave.**

 **Ganondorf gripped her shoulders firmly, lifted her from the window, and stood her on the floor in front of him. "Didn't you notice the sword?"**

 **"Like I told you, it's the Master Sword!"**

 **"Think, Dora," he shouted, aggravated at her irrationality. That was what her emotions did to her. "Do you sense any power in his sword?"**

 **Before she could answer, the door opened. They turned to greet their unwelcomed guest.**

 **"It's been a while, boy," he said, arrogantly, standing tall and proud. "My name is Ganondorf."**

 **Link appeared to be shocked, whether from his overwhelming power or what, Dora was not sure. As Ganondorf spoke to Link, and he stood there with the Master Sword out as if it would jump to life to protect him, she understood what her husband had been trying to tell her. Typically, even at that distance, she could sense the sword's ability to repel evil, but not an ounce of power resonated from it.**

 **"While you were visiting Hyrule castle, did you by chance notice how all the monsters frozen in time suddenly began stirring again?" Ganondorf asked with calm confidence. "Do you understand precisely what that means?"**

 **Dora smirked. He never missed a chance to make someone feel like an imbecile, and Link had definitely made a mistake. Then, of course, he displayed his intellect by explaining to the hero exactly what it meant. Dora rolled her eyes, but fought off a smile.**

 **This infuriated Link, or at least it seemed to based on his reaction. Dora stiffened, seeing the hero raise his sword and charge at Ganondorf. She brandished her sword, but he pushed his hand against her arm to stop her. A great wave of dark power enveloped them. Link slammed into it with a resounding clang and collapsed to the floor.**

 **Dora sheathed her sword, a satisfied smirk on her face. "What a useless piece of steel," she remarked.**

 **The hero remained at his enemy's feet, as if the evil energy petrified him. Ganondorf brought his fist back, and smashed his arm against Link's body, throwing him across the room. Before Link was on his feet, Ganondorf held the point of his blade to him and said, "You cannot hope to defeat me with a blade that does not have the power to repel evil!" Laughing, he raised his sword and prepared to remove Link's head.**

 **A blonde girl appeared suddenly, jumping in through the window to the left of Ganondorf. Dora quickly reacted and darted toward the girl intruding on their victory. The girl, dressed in pirate's garb, dashed out of the way just as Dora reached her, and ran at Ganondorf. He managed to snatch her by the neck, so Dora stood by Link to ensure he did not dare to move from where he lay. "Pathetic little sea rat," Dora grumbled, upset she had missed, and held her sword to Link's neck.**

 **Ganondorf reached out with his other hand to flood the intruder's mind with evil energy, when he froze.**

 **Dora's eyes widened and her entire body went numb with excitement. She refused to believe their fortune was that great, but she could not deny the golden glow on the back of Ganondorf's hand and the girl's hand, but not Link's. "Well, Zelda became a pirate after all," Dora joked.**

 **"I don't know any Zelda. What are you talking about?" the girl questioned, wriggling to be free of Ganondorf's grasp.**

 **"Feigning ignorance will gain you nothing," Ganondorf yelled. "If you are not Zelda, then why do you possess a fragment of the Triforce?"**

 **"Just kill her," Dora shouted, impatiently. She lifted her sword to strike at Link, when their entire house shook suddenly, and she missed. She struggled against the paralyzing fear brought on by the sound of monstrous wings, slowly beating to hover outside their windows. When she looked out to see what the wings belonged to, she was terrified to find it was a dragon. Suddenly, Link and Zelda were being carried out of the windows by some Rito, so this dragon must have been their guardian.**

 **"Ganondorf," she started to say, concerned.**

 **His face was contorted as he glared at the dragon with loathing. He stared, infuriated, as Link and Zelda were flown to safety, once again escaping his grasp. Perhaps this was one of those time he should have taken his wife's advice and just killed them without thinking.**

 **As Ganondorf feared, the dragon inhaled a deep breath.**

 **"Run," he ordered, surprisingly calm. At the same time he said it, he turned, took Dora's hand, and they rushed out of their home together. Behind them, the remains of the pirate ship went up in violent flames.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Once they were within the halls of the Forsaken Fortress, they slowed from a run to a fast walk. They hastily made their way through the complex corridors, down to the landing by the boat floating in the water within the defensive walls.**

 **"What are we doing?" Dora asked when they finally stopped.**

 **"Going home," he said, although with his anger it sounded more like a growl.**

 **"You're kidding," she responded.**

 **"Am I?" he countered, glaring.**

 **Dora swallowed. This was not a time to joke with him. She watched and waited.**

 **Across the water, a purple aura appeared from the surface. It created a circle, and floated up from the ocean like steam. He climbed in the boat, and Dora followed. She took the oar and guided the boat across the way until it floated into the center of the portal. The boat was sucked straight down through and floated in a new pool of water enclosed in a castle.**

 **Dora could not believe her eyes. She leapt from the boat and onto the floor of the room. "How is this even possible?" she asked, laughing, and running through the door to the Great Hall. She stared straight up to the tall ceiling and rafters, down to the chandeliers, to the statues of monsters lining the walls, the tables, and the red velvet rug. It was exactly as she dreamed. "This is beautiful."**

 **Ganondorf grinned at her excitement. "Once the Master Sword was free, I immediately set the reanimated minions to work at claiming Hyrule and rebuilding in my name. I created the portal to travel here, and used my full magic power to build this castle."**

 **"How were you able to sneak out without my noticing?" she asked curiously, a hand on her hip.**

 **He laughed menacingly. "While you were busy training, or sparring with the moblins, but you are also a heavy sleeper. There were many opportunities, and I only needed a short time," he explained. "Hundreds of my monsters are roaming the world now. While it is true that Hyrule was buried by water, it's protected by a barrier. Daphnes could not let go of Hyrule anymore than I could. It will be his undoing."**

 **Dora hugged her wise husband, and they walked together through the castle, exploring its rooms and corridors. "Why didn't Link have the Triforce of Courage?"**

 **"I have been contemplating that very question since Link arrived today. The only conclusion is that Zelda lied."**

 **"What do you mean?"**

 **"She said the Triforce of Wisdom was scatted across Hyrule. Her daughter has a portion of it, and if Daphnes is still around he has the other half. The only possibility is that the Triforce of Courage is not waiting for a hero to awaken, it was waiting for a hero to locate its shards and make it whole again," Ganondorf explained, full of cunning.**

 **"Well, he is going to need it, if he has any hope of defeating us."**

 **"That just allows extra time to gather more of my power."**

 **"Inevitably, we will be sought after and discovered. How will we kill our enemies?"**

 **"I am going to set up a surprise for our hero, that will either kill him or lead him to us."**

 **"I want a chance at him," Dora demanded. "I owe him for killing my pet."**

 **Ganondorf nodded. He did not doubt her skill, but her power was limited. Her arrogance could easily allow her to be cut down if the hero managed to restore the power to repel evil to the Master Sword. "You may have your chance. If Link manages his way to our home, you can kill him."**

 **"Yes!" she cheered.**

 **"Then we will complete the Triforce and return Hyrule to the surface," he promised. "Now that Daphnes has found his granddaughter, he'll bring her below water for safe keeping. They might even assume that you and I did not survive the fire. I'd like to welcome Zelda into our new home. We will go to Hyrule castle and bring her here," he ordered.**

 **Dora nodded, excited to once again be plotting the hero's demise with her king. Finally, their victory seemed to be in sight.**

 **While Zelda was feisty from all her years as a pirate, commanding a ship of men with rocks for brains, she was still a girl and still easily subdued. "Come on, just let me kill her," Dora begged.**

 **"What?" Zelda shrieked.**

 **"Not yet," Ganondorf hissed, working to conjure a false image of Zelda, which would alert him of Link's return.**

 **"Why?" Dora whined.**

 **"She is more useful alive. You'll have your chance to kill her, once we have dealt with Link," he reminded her impatiently.**

 **"Stop struggling," Dora yelled, shaking Zelda by her arm. Even though she was chained at her wrists, she still fought, but Dora was much stronger. Finally, Ganondorf finished his work, and warped them back to his castle.**

 **"What are you going to do? Link won't just let you win," Zelda argued. "He'll save me just like he saved his sister."**

 **"Oh, and he did a fine job at that," Dora mocked, laughing.**

 **"You'll see. He'll restore the Master Sword's power and you won't be laughing anymore!"**

 **Dora struck Zelda with the back of her hand. "Shut it!" The girl fell to her knees with the force of the slap.**

 **Ganondorf stepped forward and picked Zelda up by her arm. He said, "You are my prisoner. I am your king now, and she is your queen. You will do well to remember that," he threatened.**

 **"I bow to no one," Zelda said, glaring.**

 **"We shall see," Ganondorf responded, his tone threatening. Zelda disappeared.**

 **"Do you really believe she will submit to us?" Dora asked, her temper flaring.**

 **"Your short-sightedness is truly your worst quality," he countered.**

 **She backed down, swallowing her anger.**

 **At her silence, he continued to explain, "Zelda will witness the rebirth of her inherited kingdom, which her grandfather so eagerly tried to wash away, to know how her bloodline failed miserably to protect such an amazing world, and to know she will not be the one ruling it. I want her spirit to be utterly shattered. However, I have not forgotten your need for vengeance, or why, and therefore you may eliminate her once we have achieved our goal."**

 **Dora grinned, but the weight of the suffering she endured was too heavy to keep it for long. She frowned, and said, "Thank you."**

 **"As long as she is alive, Daphnes and his hero will be motivated to continue their quest."**

 **"You mean, the promise of killing you isn't enough?" Dora asked, laughing.**

 **"Sometimes, hate alone is not enough. Sometimes, love can make people do even crazier things," he explained with a devious grin, and then touched her cheek gently with his thumb.**

 **Dora tried to hide an innocent blush, but she could not fight her beautiful smile.**


	11. Chapter 11

**"Why are you so obsessed with her dreams?" Dora asked angrily, but in a hushed voice. She stood beside Ganondorf, while he sat beside the bed Zelda lay in, with his hand up to her head. He had done this for two days whenever she slept, and it was incredibly boring. "What's the point?"**

 **"It's not just her dreams," he answered. "I am forcing her subconscious to bring forth the memories of her ancestors, so that I may gain a better understanding of what happened to Hyrule while I was gone, and you were imprisoned. I can then manipulate those dreams. For now, she fights me, constantly returning to the present to dream about exploring the ocean."**

 **Dora crossed her arms against her stomach and turned her head. "Bah."**

 **"See for yourself," he grunted, and grasped her hand.**

 **The world around her completely disappeared, replaced by images that flashed in front of her eyes. Flashes of the birth of the new princess, Zelda's wedding, arguments with the king, as if time was just rapidly going backward and only playing highlights of Zelda's life. Dora tried to pull her hand free, when the images of her torture and public humiliation flashed before her through the eyes of a terrified little girl. She collapsed to her knees, beating her fist off the stone. Ganondorf would not release her though, until she saw one more image.**

 **The Gerudo had destroyed themselves in a civil war.**

 **Zelda did her best to bring them into Hyrule, to help them find peace, but some of the Gerudo were loyal to Nabooru, and others still loyal to Ganondorf and their true queen. Those loyal to their king tried on multiple occasions to free their queen, or assassinate the royal family. A handful of these women were hanged for their crimes. The Gerudo who were welcomed into Hyrule did what they could to defend their new leader, and thwart the assassins, but in the end they were their own cause of extinction.**

 **At the last image of Zelda, the mother of the one lying in the bed, giving a sorrowful speech about how destructive hate could be, Ganondorf released his queen's hand. He had been squeezing so forcefully it felt bruised, but her tears were not from physical pain.**

 **"Now do you understand?" he asked, his voice cold.**

 **"Why? Why would they do that?" Dora asked, her voice strained and cracking. "After all we did for them..."**

 **Ganondorf shook his head, angered. "Submitting, rather than dominating their enemy to prove they were superior. It makes me sick," he growled, clenching his fist.**

 **Dora felt as if they were talking about their children, and in a sense they were. Just regular parents, disappointed in the path their children chose. She stood up to leave, to sit and ponder her thoughts, but Ganondorf grabbed her hand again. This time, she saw a most pleasant sight.**

 **"Link's back," she whispered, smiling again. "I never thought saying that would make me so happy," she realized.**

 **Ganondorf spoke to Link through telepathy, after the false Zelda disappeared. His menacing voice filled the chamber of the Master Sword like the voice of a spirit. "I have taken your precious Zelda. Finally, it is here you shall fall into eternal slumber." Two of his strongest knights appeared in the chamber of the Master Sword to take Link's life. Ganondorf looked back to Dora and said, "You have some time, but you may want to prepare a proper welcome."**

 **"Believe in me, as I believe in you, and I shall bring you the head of your enemy, along with the Triforce of Courage," Dora promised. She kissed him firmly, and then left the room.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Dora felt a tinge of fear slither up her spine. She waited to find out if Link perished against the monsters that Ganondorf revived to take revenge on the hero, or if he survived and she would be the last one standing in his way to battle Ganondorf. As the sensation reached her throat, she swallowed, and hid her fear. She recalled her anger, sadness, and hate, and suddenly burned with the desire to see the hero's head separated from his body. The biggest mistake she could make was to allow her irrational fear to control her.**

 **The door opened, and the kid stepped through. He saw her, recognized her as the woman who stood at Ganondorf's side, and concluded she was an enemy, but he did not know her as his predecessor once did. His clothes, that sword, and that stupid Triforce on the back of his hand boiled Dora's blood, but she knew without them he was just a boy. He had just come from enduring four difficult battles, and she was not about to give him another second to catch his breath.**

 **She lunged straight at him, but his shield was there to block her. It was obvious the power of the Master Sword was back, because just being near it made her wince. Link swung at her, but she avoided his attack. She was right back at him, but he parried around her. Dora was quick enough to turn her sword and block his attack at her side. There was some skill behind his sword after all, but nothing compared to her grueling training.**

 **Dora swung with all the power and skill she possessed, but Link shielded against her, or parried to counterattack. He was already worn down and moving too slow to strike her. His arm tired from blocking, so much to the point he tried to stand just out of reach of her attacks. She jumped toward him, swinging, and he lost his grip on the Master Sword. It flew across the room and landed with a clang on the stone floor. She took advantage, but he started constantly rolling to avoid her. "Get back here," she yelled, and the next swing connected with his back.**

 **Link's body arched and he shouted with pain. They had closed the distance to the Master Sword, but Dora was about ensure he never touched the blade again. She stomped on his arm to hold it still against the floor and swung her sword down for his wrist. Her sword only met with stone, as Link pulled himself to safety across the room with the hook shot. He quickly transitioned to his bow and arrow and fired at her. She marched at him boldly, courageously even, as he fired. The first arrow missed. "If only you could remember what the hero before you knew about me," Dora taunted, but the second arrow pierced her shoulder and she winced. "Maybe you would actually want to kill me!" The third and final arrow pierced her arm. She grimaced, and ripped both arrows out of her body. "I did not have the opportunity to repay him for the heartache and suffering he caused, so you will have to do." Then she dashed at him.**

 **Link snatched the Master Sword from the floor as he started running to meet blades with Dora. He pulled back at the last second to parry, causing her to over reach just enough that he pushed her blade away with his shield. Link swung his sword, slicing Dora across her ribs. The long wound was shallow and dribbled blood, but a cut from the Master Sword only needed to be skin deep to paralyze. She lost all balance and fell on her knees. The pain was sharp and burned, and she breathed quickly as if that would make it go away faster. She glared at Link and rose to her feet, clutching her sword in a white-knuckled grip. "I won't let you defeat me, because you will never tear us apart again!"**

 **Dora lashed at him with her blade, but he jumped out of the way. The effects of the Master Sword began to wear off so her movements were swifter. The severe wounds she suffered bled, and hindered her usual agility. Link blocked her next heavy attack with his shield, then knocked her off balance by bashing her with it. He quickly followed through with his blade across her chest. The sudden jolt had Dora seeing stars, until the blade impaled her stomach.**

 **She dropped her sword, clenched her teeth to fight off a screaming howl of agony, and stared at the blade piercing her. She gripped it suddenly, allowing it to cut the palm of her hand. Her eyes followed the blade up to the hilt, and the hand that held it, which bore the Triforce of Courage. She refused to quit, and tried to stand, but none of her muscles responded. Instead, she started to laugh.**

 **Link could not stop staring at her. He had never met someone so insane.**

 **Dora's vision blurred, and faded in and out. She demanded her hand to lash out and snatch the collar of Link's shirt, and said, "You may have won this fight, but it will be the last mistake you make. You will not survive the wrath of the King of Evil."**

 **Link backed away suddenly, afraid but not shaken, scared but courageous. He pulled his sword back, slicing Dora's hands, and worsening the wound. She grunted and moaned with pain, and she panted again. She supported herself on her hands and knees, until her arms gave out and she collapsed.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Ganondorf suffered a mix of surprise and concern when the door opened and it was Link who entered the room. The hero prepared his sword and stepped to charge at Ganondorf, when he was stopped by his words.**

 **"Do not be so hasty, boy," he said firmly. "Zelda has slept a long time, and I have seen her dreams." Link seemed to back down since Ganondorf was not harming the princess, and did not appear threatening. Ganondorf frantically reached out through his dark energy that consumed the castle to locate Dora. "Her dreams are filled with oceans as far as the eye can see, which none can swim across." At last, he located Dora's faint life. It was obvious her body had been violated by the power of the Master Sword. He glared at Link suddenly. "What did the King of Hyrule say? That the goddesses sealed Hyrule away? And then left behind the very fools who would one day awaken Hyrule? How ridiculous! Don't you see? Your goddesses destroyed you!" The power flowing through the castle would heal Dora eventually, but he needed a distraction that would give her more time. His anger mounted, because his wife had failed and she lay nearly dying in some room of his castle. "I have been waiting for one like you. The hero. You have slain my monsters, mortally wounded my queen. Do not betray my expectations, now that you have come so far."**

 **Ganondorf disappeared, taking Zelda with him, to watch the epic battle from the rafters far above the floor. To Link, it would appear as though he transformed into some giant beast. Had it been a few decades earlier, he would have become that monster. Having dominated that part of himself in the Sacred Realm, he now controlled and manipulated Ganon as a puppet. The first form was defeated, but that was not entirely a surprise. Ganondorf laughed at Link's shock when that did not conclude the fight, and instead the puppet transformed again, keeping the same face and morphing its body into a spider. A whole new fight began, one that Link would not survive.**

 **The hero struggled, but he was still victorious. Ganondorf's anger flared as the puppet transformed into its final form of a snake. While it had no special abilities, its intense speed made it difficult to aim and fire a light arrow at its vulnerable spot. Still a dozen arrows later, three direct hits that were no more than sheer luck, and his creation was obliterated. The only evidence this proved, was that this boy was indeed the Hero of Time reborn.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Dora opened her eyes and her head throbbed. It took all the will power she could gather to roll to her side and then flop on to her back. She did not dare try to sit up until after she consumed some of the castle's energy to heal. The problem was that it would take up time she did not have to spare. At that moment, Ganondorf and Link could have been battling, and she would not be there if he needed her, or worse. Fear should have frozen her, but it only motivated her.**

 **She placed her hand over her stomach, and could feel the hole was shrinking. The paralysis that the Master Sword brought wore off, but her muscles still burned when she forced them to work. The dark energy rejuvenated her to the point she could move to her knees. The twisting of her body made her grunt from the agony of her open wound. Tears burned at her eyes and choked her as she struggled through the throbbing and stinging to push herself to both feet. With her arm over her wound, she stood tall, and sweat poured from her face because of the great effort she exerted. Time was running out, so as soon as she could take the first step, she pushed herself to move with as much haste as possible.**

 **The closer she came to the central chamber the stronger Ganondorf's powers were, and the more quickly she healed. She stumbled most of the way and fell a couple times, until she came to the door and shoved it open, only to be surprised that it was empty.**

 **Panic succeeded her pain and she raced into the middle of the room. "Damn it," she whispered. "Show off." She smirked.**

 **The rope left behind by Puppet Ganon led all the way to the top, but she was in no condition to go climbing. It was the most direct path, but not the wisest. While she might have had her energy back, her muscles still disobeyed her, and her wounds were still fresh, but on the mend. During her search for an alternate route to the top, she was summoned.**

 **Dora stood on the roof, looking out at the beautiful land of Hyrule, from one mountain range to the next. The skies were blue, and it was falling. No, it was not falling, the ocean was collapsing in on Hyrule. "What in the hell is going on?" she shouted. Her eyes narrowed in on the action across the tower. Link and Ganondorf battled, with Zelda wielding the light arrows. It seemed the odds might have been against him, but they were evenly matched. Dora rested her hand on her sword, and prepared to enter the fight. Then, she laid her eyes on a man in a red robe, with a white beard, and golden crown. The old King of Hyrule, a man who should have been dead, stood in front of her, and not as a ghost. This was the man responsible for her hospitality while a prisoner, who could have ended her torture and freed her at anytime. Instead, he kept her captive in those chains, turned a blind eye to what the guards, for generations, chose to do with her, and refused to release her out of fear. A man who, when evil eventually returned, looked to the goddesses like a coward, and then could not leave his precious Hyrule behind, even in death.**

 **Her hand instantly clenched the hilt of her sword and she brandished the blade. Then there was no thought, just action.**

 **"Die!" she shouted.**

 **Daphnes turned to face her, and her sword impaled his chest. His eyes widened, and he slowly sank to his knees before her. He clearly still felt pain, although he shed no blood. "Ganondora," the king breathed, surprised. "You're alive?"**

 **"I could say the same for you, but you're not, are you?" she questioned harshly.**

 **"No. I am not," he answered solemnly.**

 **Dora twisted the blade in his chest and he cried out in pain. "For all the unbearable heartache, for all the unimaginable suffering you and your ancestors forced me to endure, I take this small piece of revenge from you."**

 **"You are too late. The Triforce has granted my wish for hope, to bury Hyrule, while you and your king drown with it," he explained, closing his eyes peacefully. "My destiny is fulfilled."**

 **Dora was in disbelief. Her chest tightened, her grip on her sword weakened, and her face contorted in anger. "You used the Triforce? You stole Ganondorf's victory? You bastard!" She wrenched the sword out through his shoulder, and then swung it cleanly through the neck of the King of Hyrule. His head rolled away, moved by the fierce wind, and fell from tower. The body collapsed at her feet.**

 **"Do it, Link!"**

 **Her senses immediately returned and she looked over to the fight. Link was mid-air, the Master Sword pointed down and aimed at Ganondorf. The speed at which she rushed to intercept Link made it appear as though she teleported. Yet, she was still too late.**

 **The fierce battle was abruptly ended at the startling sound of shattering glass, as if time suddenly stood still. In the next breath, Dora's sword collided with Link, ripped open his chest, and sent him flying across the tower.**

 **Dora barely acknowledged her victory as it was greatly outweighed by concern for her husband. She shrieked at seeing the sword embedded in Ganondorf's head where the unique jewel of his crown usually rested. She gripped his arms and found his body was stiff. "No! No this can't be happening," she breathed, tears instantly burning her eyes.**

 **He dropped to his knees, his teeth clenched, fighting the power of the Master Sword coursing through his veins. "The wind..."**

 **Dora's heart ached, and her thoughts froze. "I won't lose you this time!" She gripped the hilt of the blade, and she was blinded by pain. No matter how she pulled, fighting against the agony of the Master Sword rejecting her, the blade did not give an inch. "I won't lose you again!" A strange crunching sound drew her attention to the floor, and she found that the sword was imprisoning him in stone, making him its new pedestal.**

 **"Ganondora," he grunted, expressing the futility of her efforts. Ganondorf forced open his hands so that his swords fell, and when he raised his arms just slightly, she instantly entered them. Dora clung to him in a strong embrace, and he rested his arms comfortingly around her. Her head pressed desperately against his chest. She trembled with restrained tears.**

 **"This time, I will stay with you, my king, so we can be together forever, even in death."**

 **"Good night, my queen."**

 **"Good night, my love."**

 **Dora closed her eyes, and the stone enveloped them completely.**


	15. Chapter 15

**"Is this safe?" Niko asked.**

 **"I told you, better in the hands of the royal family who can guard it, than in the hands of some pirates," Zelda reaffirmed.**

 **"But** _ **we**_ **are pirates," he commented. She glared at him.**

 **"I don't know. I don't trust that thing," Gonzo added.**

 **"Ugh, will you just help them push?" she ordered, pointing at the guards.**

 **It took the effort of every man available to push the cart with the statue through the gates surrounding the grove behind the castle. With their combined strength they carefully lifted the statue and set it on the grass. The guards pulled the cart away, and then one-by-one the pirates left Zelda to be alone.**

 **A ray of light beamed on the artifact, making it appear sacred, a beautiful, priceless piece of art, sculpted by a master craftsman. Only, she knew the dark truth.**

 **Zelda stared in amazement at the quality of the statue, and then placed her hand on what would have been Ganondorf's arm. Her heart jolted, her mind filled with darkness and corruption, and she was paralyzed. She used all of her will to yank her arm back from the statue.**

 **Ganondorf's power was still very much alive beneath that rock. As long as the Master Sword remained, his evil would never be released.**

 **Zelda stared with disgust as she slowly backed away from the sword's new pedestal. She despised them for what they did to Link, and felt they deserved the punishment given to them, but she could not help but empathize with their heartache. The King and Queen of the Gerudo had been sealed in a strong embrace. If ever anyone thought he had been incapable of compassion, one only had to lay eyes on the statue to understand the unique love they shared. What a terrible fate.**

 **Still, she could not forgive them for Link's death.**

 **While she hoped they never returned to spread their evil in the new Hyrule, she did hope they would rest in peace. From the brief glimpse she forcefully received by just a touch, she doubted that would be the case.**

 **Zelda gave one last cautious look back at the statue, and then locked the gate.**


End file.
